How to Comment Without The “Ick”
Learning the art of leaving genuine, meaningful comments
Most writers suck at leaving comments.
There, I said it.
They either don’t leave comments at all, drop a lazy “Great work!,” or—worst of all—write something so off-putting it actively drives people away.
And that’s a problem.
Comments aren’t just a nice-to-have. They’re one of the most powerful engagement tools available.
On Substack, Medium, LinkedIn—heck, even Twitter—real growth happens in the comments. Not from going viral. Not from some algorithm hack. But from showing up in the trenches and actually talking to people.
I’ve seen it firsthand.
In under three months, I grew my Substack from 123 to 500+ subscribers. I’ve built a 12K audience on Medium. And a big part of that? Comments. Not just receiving them—leaving them.
Commenting is planting seeds
Think of publishing online as planting seeds. After all, that’s what you’re doing -- with your newsletters or articles, you’re planting the seeds of ideas in other people’s minds. You create a newsletter, you plant one seed.
Most writers focus on this alone. They pour hours into crafting the perfect post, plant one seed, and then… disappear.
Big mistake.
Nature has the answer. Trees, flowers, vegetables -- no plant on Earth only create one seed per season, then hope for the best. Nature creates multitudes of fruits, some with many seeds, to raise the chances of survival in the wild.
The algorithm as your unforgivable wilderness. A single seed per season is a poor survival tactic. You might get lucky, but most likely you won’t.
What to do instead? Create many seeds. For every article you post, leave five, ten, comments on other people’s posts.
This raises your chances of survival. Take it from the trees.
Another aspect of this: quantity alone is not enough.
Don’t just drop a “Nice.” No. That’s an exercise in mutual waste of time, for the most part. You’re taking the time to write something. The author will take time to read it. Make the comment worth both your while.
How? Here are five tips.
Leave meaningful comments with these 5 techniques
Mastering the art of commenting isn’t just about etiquette—it’s about standing out, building relationships, and making your voice heard. Here are five ways to leave comments that people actually care about.
1. Make it about them, not you
Bad comment: “This reminds me of my own article on the same topic. Check it out here!”
Stop. This is not your stage.
Instead, engage with their ideas. Ask a question. Reflect on what they said. Your goal? Make the writer feel heard.
Better: “This part really resonated with me: [insert quote]. How did you come to this insight?”
2. Be hyper-specific
Bad comment: “Great post! Loved it.”
It’s not that this is bad. And by all means, if you REALLY don’t have 1 minute to write something more comprehensive, but want to leave an indication of your burning admiration in the next 10 seconds, then by all means do so.
But keep in mind -- it adds nothing.
Instead, highlight a specific line, argument, or phrasing that stood out to you.
Better: “That [idea] you said? Genius. It reframed how I think about my own process. I used to [what you used to do before,] now I [what you do now.]”
3. Add value without being a know-it-all
Bad comment: “Actually, I think you missed XYZ. Here’s a better take…”
No one likes a correction disguised as a comment.
Instead, contribute. Expand on their ideas. Offer a perspective that builds, not undermines.
Better: “This reminded me of [concept]. I think it ties into what you’re saying about [concept]. Curious if you’ve explored that connection?”
4. Ask a thought-provoking question
Bad comment: “Totally agree.”
Agreement is fine, but it doesn’t spark conversation. Instead, invite the writer (or other readers) to go deeper.
Better: “You mentioned that [what they mentioned]. Do you think that applies to [other adjacent fields, concepts, ideas], too?”
5. Be a connector
The best comments create more conversations.
Mention another writer who has tackled a similar topic. Share a relevant book or resource. Point the discussion outward.
Better: “This reminds me of something [Writer X] wrote about [Topic Y]. Would love to hear your thoughts on their perspective.”
Commenting is not just a growth hack
If you want engagement, you have to engage.
Write good comments. Start conversations. Show up for others, and they’ll show up for you.
No, this isn’t just a “growth hack.” It’s a high-leverage action, true, but commenting meaningfully is also how you connect. It builds relationships, it enriches your life.
It builds an audience that actually cares.
So—where are you leaving a comment today?
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Thank you for helping this newbie learn to give value back. I struggled with this so I just "liked" and subscribed.
Or you could be more lazy and have AI write it for you 🤣
Sometimes writing comments isn’t easy. It requires time which I feel short of these days.